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Consecratio coins - show us the deified ones


Prieure de Sion

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Who invented it? Not the Swiss this time. It was Augustus, the old emperor, who had his adoptive father posthumously elevated among the gods. It soon became the custom in the Roman Empire for emperors to have their predecessors elevated to divus status by the Senate, provided they considered them legitimate. Certainly not (always) for religious reasons - I am more of the opinion that it was for reasons of state policy. But that is another topic.

Show us your divus coins... and let us commemorate them again after 2000 years. I may start with a Divo Severo struck under Caracalla in Rome with an eagle and globe. Minted in 211 AD in silver, as a denarius with a weight of 3.13g and a diameter of about 18mm.
 

 

severus-divos.jpg

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Faustina II 

normal_R612_Faustina_II_fac.jpg.822d83b6080b0853a31812fee74dbe69.jpg

Faustina II
AR-Denar, Rome
Obv.: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, draped bust right
Rev.:CONSECRATIO, peacock standing facing, head right.
Ag, 17.2mm
Ref.: RIC 743, CRE 200 [R]

 

normal_Faustina_II_34-0.jpg.6461c8a84824924fe3a57541e85ad89e.jpg

Faustina II
AR-Denar, Rome mint, posthumous AD 176 - 181
Obv.: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, draped bust right
Rev.: CONSECRATIO, Pietas standing right, sacrificing on altar, and holding scepter
Ag, 3.38g, 18.1mm
Ref.: RIC III 741 [S], CRE 204 [R]
Ex Karl-Ludwig Grabow, Berlin
Ex Künker

normal_Faustina_II_12_0.jpg.326b3e236694ae5b363e437b5936671e.jpg

Faustina II
AR-Denar, Rome mint, posthumous AD 176 - 181
Obv.: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, draped bust right
Rev.: CONSECRATIO, peacock standing right with head turned right, tail and wings closed
Ag, 3.25g, 16.8mm
Ref.: RIC III 744, RSC II 71, BMCRE 714, CRE 201 [R]

 

 

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Faustina I

image.png.07dc1d4bde67ecd80a7e34ac23148acd.png

Diva Faustina I AD 140-141. Rome
Denarius AR
17 mm, 2,56 g
RIC III Antoninus Pius 384a (denarius); RSC 175; BMC 473
AD 141
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bust of Faustina I, draped, right, hair elaborately waved in several loops round head and drawn up and coiled on top. / Rev: CONSECRATIO, peacock, walking right, head turned back left

Faustina II

image.png.dc0d0d29c26c4a674d16f9580b17b671.png

Diva Faustina II after AD 175-176. Rome
Denarius AR
18 mm, 2,71 g
176-180
DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, Bust of Diva Faustina II, hair waved and fastened in a bun on back of head, draped, right / CONSECRATIO, Rectangular altar, with horns at left and right, and door on front (sometimes decorated with palms)
RIC III Marcus Aurelius 746; RSC 75

Lucius Verus

image.png.a07d0b6dd0ab2c08c79760578a9cb601.png

 

Divus Lucius Verus AD 169. Rome
Denarius AR
18 mm., 2,70 g.
RIC III Marcus Aurelius 596B; RSC 55, BMC 503
Date: AD 169
Obverse Legend: DIVVS VERVS
Type: Head of Lucius Verus, bare, right
Reverse Legend: CONSECRATIO
Type: Funeral pyre in four tiers (ustrina), adorned with statues and garlands, quadriga on top

Pius  (not with the Consecration reverse, I only have those 3)

 

image.png.4e35f9d9873660e0f268a2f2fed3c7d6.png

Divus Antoninus Pius AD 161. Rome
Denarius AR
16 mm, 2,74 g
RIC III Marcus Aurelius 441

DIVVS ANTONINVS
Head of Antoninus Pius, bare, right
DIVO PIO
Square altar

 

Vespasian

image.png.7857468f6cc0d5158fe79d4fea579212.png

Divus Vespasian after AD 79. Rome
Denarius AR
19 mm, 2,71 g
RIC II, Part 1 (second edition) Titus 357;OLD RIC II Titus 63; RSC Titus 497
Date Range: AD 80 - AD 81
Obv:  DIVVS AVGVSTVS VESPASIANVS, Head of Divus Vespasian, laureate, right / Rev: Capricorns, left and right, back to back, supporting round shield inscribed S C; globe, below

 

Also a Divus issue for Augustus (but not the best one there)

image.png.89cf1d0ca4e4d07370370963f1c8bdbf.png

8.62 g 29. 3 mm
RIC I (second edition) Tiberius 81
AD 22-30
DIVVS AVGVSTVS PATER
Head of Augustus, radiate, left
PROVIDENT S C
Altar-enclosure with double paneled door right; various ornaments on top, left and right

 

 

 

Edited by ambr0zie
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I have this murky coin commemorating Constantius I...

Maxentius (posthumous Constantius I), 307-308image.png.81cadc862d9e8007550db326e5ca1e0b.png

Ticinum. Bronze, 26mm, 5.18g. Veiled head of Constantius I right; DIVO CONSTANTIO AVG. Domed shrine with double doors surmounted by eagle; MEM DIVI CONSTANTI; mintmark ST below (RIC VI, 96). Found Thoroton, Nottinghamshire (Portable Antiquities Scheme: LEIC-E90BD6).

Edited by John Conduitt
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This has seen better days (rather like the emperor).

Quintillus (posthumous Claudius II) Antoninianus, 270image.png.7dcc76120cead94603186a7354915a02.png

Mediolanum. Silver, 16-18mm, 2.29g. Bust of Claudius Gothicus, radiate, draped, right; DIVO CLAVDIO. Altar with flames above, crescent on side; CONSECRATIO (RIC V.1, 261). Found in Kent.

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Cool idea for a thread !

On 6/30/2022 at 11:18 AM, Prieure de Sion said:

It was Augustus, the old emperor, who had his adoptive father posthumously elevated among the gods.

Let's start from the begining !!

5992c6f08f1740eca8d13466b2c18465.jpg

Octavian, Dupondius - Minted in Italy 38 BC
DIVI F, bare head of Octavian right
DIVOS IVLIVS, in a laurel wreath
27.07 gr
Ref : HCRI # 309, RCV # 1570

Q

Edited by Qcumbor
typo
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I’ll throw in my Mariniana sestertius… 

I’ve reached a bit of an impasse with my one-per-ruler collection. All my remaining rulers cost tens of thousands of dollars. So now I’m allowing two-per ruler: one bronze and one silver. This recent purchase is a companion to my Mariniana ant.

 

 

F293DD72-5A32-46D6-9977-CD3D5088DA80.jpeg

Edited by GregH
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Demarius of Lucius Verus as Divus  Minted during reign of Marcus Aurelius circa 169 AD Head right bare. Rv eagle standing slightly to the right head reverted wings open. RIC 596a 3.22 grms 18 mm Photo by W. Hansenlverusd9.jpg.54f9b207be072b737b9947e9a7a297fa.jpg

Sources vary as to the death of Verus. Some suggest food poisoning others suggest small pox 

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Here's the deified Faustina the Younger being carried aloft on a big bird. The mint couldn't decide if it were an eagle ...

Faustina Jr CONSECRATIO S C Eagle flying left sestertius.jpg

Diva Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 25.23 g, 30.2 mm, 11 h.
Rome, early AD 176.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, veiled and draped bust, right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Faustina II carried by an eagle flying left, holding transverse scepter in her right hand and with veil decorated with stars floating above her head.
Ref: RIC 1701; BMC 1572; Cohen 68; RCV 5226; MIR –; Cayón p.153, 32.

... or a peacock!

Faustina Jr CONSECRATIO S C flying peacock sestertius.jpg

Diva Faustina II, AD 147-175/6.
Roman orichalcum sestertius, 26.28 g, 32.2 mm, 12 h.
Rome, AD 176 or later.
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, bare-headed and draped bust right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO S C, Faustina, holding scepter, seated left on back of peacock flying upward to right.
Refs: RIC 1702; BMCRE 1570-71; Cohen 69; RCV 5227; MIR 56.
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The Mariniana Antoninian is missing:

 

normal_Mariniana_01.jpg.e6bcdbdaee95db6f9d20885e529842cc.jpg

Mariniana
Antoninianus, AD 257, Rome
Obv.: DIVAE MARINIANAE, diademed, veiled and draped bust on crescent
Rev.: CONSECRATIO, Peacock in splendor looking left
RIC Va, 3
Ex Künker München

 

and some Faustina II denarii:

 

normal_Faustina_II_R676.jpg.cf276f39c10bf1aaf6c2f89a2f17f147.jpg

Faustina II
AR-Denar, Rome mint, posthumous AD 176 - 181
Obv.: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, draped bust right
Rev.: CONSECRATIO, transversed sceptre on draped throne; in foreground, peacock standing right.
Ag, 2.62g, 19.5mm
Ref.: RIC III 745, CRE 219 [C]

 

normal_Faustina_II_R840_Consecratio.jpg.32f366124be2b7779c8acd880733aa51.jpg

na II, CONSECRATIO, peacock, throne, diadem

Faustina II
AR-Denar, Rome mint, posthumous AD 176 - 181
Obv.: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, draped bust right
Rev.: CONSECRATIO, transversed sceptre on draped throne; in foreground, peacock standing right, a diadem lays on the throne
Ag, 3.25g
Ref.: RIC III 745, CRE 220 [S]

 

normal_Faustina_II_R818.jpg.0ddaf0dc5f377f5af191ed70ebfb1a0f.jpg

Faustina II
AR-Denar
Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA PIA, Draped bust right.
Rev: CONSECRATIO, Crescent surrounded by seven stars
AR, 3.29g, 18mm
Ref.: RIC 750 (Aurelius), CRE 172 [S]
Ag, 3.96 g, 22 mm

Edited by shanxi
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Since posthumous is a distinct title that I actively seek out for my collection, I might have one or two...

Augustus 

1886711002_DivusAugustusdupondiusbyTiberius.jpg.0e86374beb62debca7eda9ca3625a52c.jpg

Claudius

1599386839_NerowithDivusClaudiustetradrachmantioch.jpg.5ec687be771bd14b1be73feab09f5155.jpg

Octavia?! (The "Thean" would seemingly indicate divine status)502523788_DivaClaudiaOctaviaLydiasardesMindiosstrategos.jpg.66489071ff1ffd400d9ff5e974b8b4df.jpg

Vespasian

491030197_DivusVespasianquadriga.jpg.4bf17c2e5b4d1a63181d4392e7b064f5.jpg

Nerva

1432241099_DivusNervaAE.jpg.552b219eb745f538738d02b306f6b6d9.jpg

Trajan's father, Marcus Ulpius Trajanus

788896688_Trajandenariusdivvstraianpater.jpg.271126e68dced1c6d2ce1932c66a3831.jpg

Marciana

1855314260_DivaMarcianadenarius.jpg.f067873f78a71448ff28c1c3d1607bf9.jpg

Trajan

864731488_MysiaPergamonDivusTrajanwithDivusAugustustemple.jpg.0c2a7bd86f35354983216aebb0eea140.jpg

Matidia

962190910_DivaMatidiaARdenarius.jpg.4f3f43a247e2c54d7a5bff47d54983a3.jpg

Sabina

347021112_DivaSabinadenarius.jpg.89d42552390929743630376b6f79a07e.jpg

Hadrian

1512054022_DivusHadriandenariusbyPius.jpg.bcdab08512722523b1769b0b2c7310a2.jpg

Faustina I

375156181_FaustinaIdenariusJunoseatedRIC363.jpg.4838880fb081052b2dd96be979ac576b.jpg

Pius

1740408497_Divusantoninuspiusfuneralpyre.jpg.387d6998d63ff032d19f9c141d0ec569.jpg

Verus

1857970718_DivusLuciusVerusSestertiuseagle.jpg.ef441d1a0b5baa9a267a55999aad9036.jpg

Faustina II

2050039248_Divafaustinaiiaeternitas.jpg.d5d9feafbb3b768e71cf452e29e84434.jpg

Marcus Aurelius

530705447_Divusmarcusaureliuseagle.jpg.b1378b9a123e0cfe843db91376834969.jpg

Severus

152598188_DivusSeverusfuneralpyre.jpg.5d8c5816462734bcfd16e75fb526f4b5.jpg

Maesa

842097657_DivaJuliaMaesadenarius.jpg.bb42f9b13983ba1eb98705ab36cf624a.jpg

Paulina

307991448_DivaPaulinasestertius.jpg.329101db55f09e90deda1fe7da6af3d3.jpg

Mariniana

179489640_Divamarinianapeacock.jpg.7bb701af72d0f6ba105fa6b9b55859ee.jpg

Valerian II

1892126005_Divusvalerianiieagle.jpg.b9fb0221dee77b24db9514445a71e94b.jpg

Claudius II

677551768_DivoClaudioGothicomediolanum.jpg.8902b297b49309eb9229a7b27cce970d.jpg

Victorinus

994762569_DivusVictorinusantoninianus.jpg.94db0d2e52a424f1f490375432a789ec.jpg

Carus

464114243_Divocaroeagle.jpg.01599e1c3da1faf66e08e75c7cf8b6db.jpg

Numerian

20171205_Divo-Numeriano-double-strike.jpg.68c1da487fe3d1d4a6c91918b1ad183f.jpg

Constantius

1383743337_DivusConstantiusaltarlugdunum.jpg.34db7dfe775b7291ddc0ce4e343ea880.jpg

Romulus

2113917532_Divoromulofollistempleaeternaememoriae.jpg.20ae0779eb8810f788014c11ee115ea5.jpg

Galerius

40059227_DivusGaleriusfollistemple.jpg.a69fdd8084f5bf3e5ff68f278d440c5d.jpg

Maximian

1503211656_DivoMaximianconstantine.jpg.a6c6cd03b144a1b8ee36e25ef193cfb6.jpg

And the last emperor ever to receive a deification coinage - Constantine I

1436836695_ConstantineposthumouschariotConstantinople.jpg.e7921e75d5e7b3fb4b88a9f3e7cf3f0f.jpg

 

Like I said - one or two 😉

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Also, interesting to note is that there are a lot of posthumous coins that are not explicitly deification Issues - i.e. they do not make any mention that the person on the coin is deified, or sometimes even that they are dead.

My examples:

I've seen very widely ranging theories about this issue of Pompey fron Pompeiopolis - that it could have been a lifetime issue from the 50s BC or that it could be a posthumous issue, even as late as the Flavian era.

1232788148_PompeythegreatAEsoloi-pompeiopolis.jpg.36d6f49c18f6fa4eb713f4cd10e4ec1f.jpg

This As of Sextus Pompey depicts Pompey as Janus, and was definitely minted after his death

706853535_ZomboDroid23042022081944.jpg.4e98a7c610a3b588936fe5b1ca79b061.jpg

Although apparently never deified, nearly all coins depicting Agrippa are posthumous - this Nemausus dupondius was minted several years after he died... types with Augustus wearing laurels I have seen dated to various years, but always after 10 BC

819197686_AugustusAgrippaNemaususgaulcroc.jpg.9ce3fa2fc319f64728dc31d50c2fd6ca.jpg

Agrippa's memory was again revived by Caligula for this popular type

1176370911_MarcusAgrippaasNeptunebycaligula.jpg.0bb6452e8af72b9303f4230c3681db40.jpg

Livia is explicitly deified on several issues (regrettably I have none) but this issue from Augusta in Cilicia is supposed to be minted after her death, although it doesnt explicitly state that.227396752_LiviaAECiliciaAugustaCapricorn.jpg.1d4d9a67eeecfe79b009bbcd26bdbd56.jpg

Tiberius was featured posthumously on only a single issue from Alexandria, opposite Nero (and also on Flavian restitution issues, which I dont have)

992606257_NerowithTiberiusAlexandriatetradrachm.jpg.0ad5297d688916e350a04aa37e02f399.jpg

Germanicus' lifetime issues are actually somewhat scarce; he was however featured extensively after his untimely death

By Tiberius

310429810_CaesariaGermanicuswithDivusAugustusARdrachm.jpg.ec29f3e5e0aaf0aae849c189bb0d89e8.jpg

Then Caligula (This one also has Agrippina Senior, who was not deified but only appears posthumously)

1406656456_GermanicusandAgrippinaaezanisphrygiaposthumous.jpg.db524bb08422d9f0b82f63df684058cd.jpg

Then Claudius1742786628_GermanicusAEasunderclaudius.jpg.c477e405c2c0c71c924d6f2aaf9f2e7f.jpg

And finally in a Restitution issue by Titus

1694714176_GermanicusAEAsrestitutionbyTitus.jpg.1b15d75aefc2400e181b4220c7fa912c.jpg

Germanicus' sons Nero and Drusus were honored posthumously by Caligula (This one is really ugly)

2027704297_NeroetDrususposthumouslowball.jpg.32151bf8d0462cb263efa1aa2ae4669d.jpg

Claudius' mother Antonia first appears posthumously by her son Claudius

876009091_Antoniamotherofclaudius.jpg.facb6e26ebc7fff3b939fbe570456d62.jpg

Ditto with Nero Claudius Drusus

403591807_Neroclaudiusdrusussestertius.jpg.34441bc3a330b04fae61eefc24f24f7e.jpg

Then comes an obscure one - Galerius Antoninus was the son of Antoninus Pius who evidently died before his father came to power, but only appears on a single issue of an uncertain Greek city, opposite his deified mother. It doesn't even explicitly mention that Galerius is dead, but he must have been, or else Pius likely wouldn't have so eagerly adopted Aurelius and Verus and named them heirs.

930721679_GaleriusAntoninusandDivaFaustinaAEAs.jpg.0fbe46ab704c1a50d9ebf393a43c576f.jpg

And even more obscure - this small series of quadrantes depicts a young boy as each of the Four Seasons - some have speculated that these were minted to mourn Annius Verus, younger brother of Commodus, and only the second son of theirs to reach 5 years of age

100231991_AnniusVeruswinterAEquadrans.jpg.ead7ecaf5080a31746157aedaa0df913.jpg

Then we have a substantial gap and end with two tiny bronzes

Helena

21943009_PosthumousHelenPaxconstantinople.jpg.05275d90c53abad8e6e04acbd889e758.jpg

And Theodora

964074003_Theodorapietas.jpg.3509ee9f925cf84916d7efd14dff357e.jpg

The size and artistry on both seem to indicate that these were minted around the time of the single-standard GLORIA EXERCITVS coin, or 337-340. That would obviously make the Helena issue posthumous, and likely the Theodora as well, as she would have been in her sixties or seventies when it was minted. The reason these were minted is unknown, possibly to placate the upset populace after the Imperial purges of 337.

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  • 2 weeks later...

- Bronze Coin (AE Antoninianus) minted at Rome for MARINIANA (posthumous), wife of VALERIAN I, between 256 – 257 A.D. Obv. DIVAE.MARINIANAE.: diad., veiled, and dr. bust r., resting on crescent. Rev. CONSECRATIO.: Peacock stg. facing, hd. l., tail in splendor. RCS #2926A. RSCIV #2 RICV p.1 #3. DVM #1/1. RCSVIII #10067. F-VF, slightly off-center on large flan, full legends, wholly bronze in color, minor porosity.

ERW-274 OBV.jpg

ERW-274 REV.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

I never saw coinage featuring the deified "Caracalla" and Julia Domna before but knew that they where deified during the Severan restoration. I guess these coins are quite rare. Anyways here some late types:

1315748488_DivusConstantius.png.60de00540058e40583c687c4df835c23.png

Divus Constantius I. - Siscia mint

Obv.: DIVO CONSTANTIO PIO PRINCIPI

Rev.: REQVIES OPTIMORVM MERITORVM

1389672674_DivusConstantinus2.JPG.cd331ffc95fbd84e79309233dd756182.JPG

Divus Constantinus - Constantinople mint

Obv.: DV CONSTANTINVS PT AVGG

Rev.: -

551504118_DivusConstantinus.JPG.5953f23aebdf9f1a078e33788fc617fd.JPG

Divus Constantinus - Cyzikus mint

Obv.: DV CONSTANTINVS PT AVGG

Rev.: VN MR

Edited by wittwolff
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  • 4 weeks later...

Dying.
Burial.
Cremation.
Birds.

I discovered a very interesting article today. It's in German - but maybe you can have it translated into English in your browser. It is, after all, about another ancient burial method - being eaten by vultures. I didn't know that this ritual was practised until modern times.

Maybe interesting for those who are also interested in other historical things:
https://funeria.de/artikel/tierische-totengraeber-himmelsbestattung-bei-den-parsen-teil-01?fbclid=IwAR0se1iaEJEdUR_Jp5WKid6WHtK6DuwESfIiJrW-k0B9t_O596zcPaQg43I 

 

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